Plants and Pollination Dr. Moore-Crawford Prince George’s Community College Department of Biological Sciences What are plants? Plants are alive, just like people and animals. They grow and die. They need energy, nutrients, air, and water. They produce young. They are made up of cells. They react to their environment. Parts of a Flower Pollination The transfer of pollen from the anther to the stigma of a flower Types of Pollination Self pollination Wind pollination Water pollination Animal pollination Animal Pollinators Insects Birds Bats Other mammals Animal Pollinators Animal Pollinators Animal Pollinators Pollination is essential About 80% of flowering plants require animal pollinators About 1 out of every 3rd bite of food is the result of animal pollinators Without pollinators, people and Earth’s land ecosystems would not survive Pollination Equation Pollinators and Food Food Pollinator Apples Banana Chocolate Dairy Products honey bees, blue mason orchard bees birds; fruit bats midges (flies), stingless bees dairy cows eat alfalfa pollinated by leafcutter and honey bees bees Vanilla Coffee stingless bees, other bees or flies Sugarcane bees, thrips Pumpkins squash and gourd bees, bumblebees Protecting pollinators Grow native wildflowers Limit the use of pesticides